MCA and the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation are currently working together on an exciting renovation to create a community center for the City of Cambridge. The former Mace’s Lane High School is an important local landmark that provokes many memories for alumni and local residents.
Built in 1952, the iconic Mace’s Lane High School served an all African-American student population until the schools within the County were racially integrated in 1969. The school was later re-purposed as a junior high school until a new middle school was built in 2004 and the old structure was abandoned—remaining empty to this day.
MCA is working closely with community leaders and alumni to bring new life to the building while celebrating iconic elements of the former school—the canopied entry, the dining room fireplace, and the wood bow trusses in the gymnasium are all being incorporated into the new design.
The new Mace’s Lane Community Center will house the Boys & Girls Club, the Edythe M. Jolley Museum and Cultural Center, and community gathering spaces. The Boys & Girls Club will provide programs and activities for local youths. The Edythe M. Jolley Museum and Cultural Center will showcase the history of the former school and the City of Cambridge.
MCA is excited to collaborate with the Mace’s Lane Community Center, Inc., the City of Cambridge, the Boys & Girls Club, and the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation to deliver our collective vision!
